Monthly Archives: January 2011

The best laid plans of mice and men…. So, as you can tell by the image, Beastly movie’s release date has been pushed back, and pushed back, and pushed back, and…you get the picture. I am sad it has been pushed back again, I have been eagerly awaiting this movie since I read the novel in April of last year. When I was scheduling the Books-to-Movie Challenges for the next couple of months (sorry I missed January but things were just too hectic) everything that was posted online said Beastly would be released in February 2011, that’s right…February. According to the movie’s official website, and my local theaters website, the movie won’t be released until mid-March. This is a problem because March is already scheduled to be Red Riding Hood (very excited about this) AND (this is huge) the new Jane Eyre is opening the week before Beastly. I am excited that three potentially great movies are being released so soon but that still leaves us without a title for February, I really don’t want to miss another month after skipping January so I ask you, the reader, what you would like to do.

Should we:

A) Read one of the above mentioned titles in February and discuss two books-to-movie in March?

B) Choose a different title for February that has already been released?

C) Not have a Books-to-Movie Challenge for February and wait until March to start with all the awesomeness that is being released?

Leave me a comment and tell me what you think we should do, if not you are stuck with whatever I decide.

BookSwim, a book rental site, has launched a new program called ebook fling where you can share ebooks from various devices, I haven’t tried this myself but I thought it was an interesting program.

Becca Fitzpatrick has announced the title for the third book in her Hush, Hush series, Silence.

Beverly Kendall has announced that her third book in The Elusive Lordsseries has not been picked up by Kensington so she will be self-publishing on August 9, 2011 and releasing a connecting novella All’s Fair in Love & Seduction April 12, 2011

Harlequin has announced a new line of books starting in April called Heartwarming, these are novels that are not new novels but selected from their backlist that have a wholesome content without sex, violence, possibly offensive language and on-stage depecitions of physical intimacy. I am interested to see how this new line works out.

I’m a little behind on this but Goodreads has launched a new price compare page, where you can see what format and price the major retailers have listed the book for. Interesting but it makes me wonder how much they will make off of readers purchasing books on their site…

Colton “Cowboy” Neeley has spent the last several years as an active Marine but after a terrifying event that resulted in several deaths Colton struggles to overcome the debilitating flashbacks that have potentially put his family in danger from him. As Colton is struggling to death with this trail in his life he meets Piper Blum, a beautiful woman that he finds himself drawn to. Colton finally makes the decision to pursue a relationship with Piper only to discover she is a woman full of secrets. But Colton has his own secrets as a member of the elite fighting group Nightshade, Colton is called away at a moments notice to do what other members of the military can’t.

Piper Blum has spent the last several years hiding from assassins and essentially life with the fear that anyone she gets close to will find themselves killed. Piper finds the cute cowboy who visited her at work every month for six months buying more towels than anyone person could possible use intriguing but Piper is afraid to allow anyone into her life. Piper finally agrees to go out with Colton only to be attacked right before her date. Piper is then faced with the major decision of whether to run, hoping the people who are after her won’t find her, or does she trust Colton with the truth?

I found this a very interesting novel, the story begins with Colton having a flashback where he almost kills his six-year-old child because he doesn’t know where he is or what is going on. This hooked me and I was ready to devour the book but then action really slowed down and I had a hard time continuing to read the story for a little while but by the middle I was hooked again and struggled to put the book down. This was a Christian themed novel but I didn’t feel like too overpowering, just that it was real individuals trying to deal with difficult situations and relying on their faith to help them get through the situation (which I enjoyed). I was disappointed by the death of some of the characters but understand that they were a war like situation and death is a part of that (I just don’t like any of the characters in books to die unless they are bad guys.) Kendig does a great job with the descriptions of the locations of the novel, making the scenes in Israel especially come alive. Most of the novel is fast-paced and gripping, just one section of the novel was a little difficult to wade through but I would recommend it.

Mattie Baker is determined to take care of herself, she learned from her mother that you can’t depend on a man to save you but then she met Gabriel. Against the Fire by Kat Martin opens with a bang when Gabriel Raines’ construction site goes up in flames. The suspect of the arson caused fire is Angel Ramirez, a juvenile delinquent with a past conviction of starting a fire, but Mattie is determined to prove to Gabriel that Angel is innocent. When a second fire consumes another construction site, Gabriel realizes that someone is determined to ruin him.

Mattie has worked hard her entire life to get the type of education she needed to take care of herself, now that she is finished with school she spends all her time and energy on her job and volunteering at the Family Abuse Center. The only way Mattie lets her hair down is when she gets on the stage to sing at the Karoke Bar. Gabriel finds himself drawn to the conservatively dressed Mattie but isn’t sure why until he watches her sing at the Karoke Bar in his neighborhood. Mattie tells herself that she is only helping Gabriel with his investigation to save Angel but as things escalate in the investigation and in the bedroom Mattie realizes she might be in over her head.

Against the Fire is the second book in the Raines of Wind Canyon Series, Gabriel is the middle brother and like Jackson in the first book Against the Wind Gabriel was wild in his teenage years but has gone on to make something of himself by creating and running his successful construction business. The story was suspenseful and the relationship between Mattie and Gabriel was enjoyable. Mattie’s concern and dedication to the Abuse center was touching. I loved the secondary story line of the relationship between Tracey and Sam, I wish they would have been in their own novel but the glimpses we get of them is great. Finally, the love and companionship between the brothers is heartwarming and I am excited to read Against the Law to see who can finally bring Dev, the last remaining bachelor, to heel.

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